A colorful winter

After a hot, dazzling summer, it's time to change color palette at home toward warmth in preparation for cold winter ahead.

By EFI MOSHAV
Painted room 311 (photo credit: Tambour)
Painted room 311
(photo credit: Tambour)
Fall is a great season for painting your house. The weather is pleasant, and it’s a good time for a change of color, along with repairing any damage incurred during the summer.
Before dipping the brush into the paint, look around the house for any dampness or moisture in the walls. This can be cleaned off by rubbing the wall with a damp cloth dipped in bleach (the wall must be washed with water after using the bleach). Even if the paint has peeled off, clean the damp area before painting so the damage won’t recur next year.
In the shower rooms, bathrooms and other rooms that are susceptible to dampness, paint the walls and ceiling with acrylic paint, which prevents the formation of mold and fungus.
Match the shade to the room The shade of paint you choose will influence the size, shape, feeling and aura of the room. Before you choose a color, take a good look around before making a decision:
- How big is the room? Light colors will create a spacious feeling and illuminate a room, whereas dark colors will create a sense of intimacy and warmth in large spaces.
- Does the room face the south or the north? Rooms with a southern exposure are sundrenched; therefore, it’s recommended to use cold colors such as baby blue, light green or cream. Northern rooms, on the other hand, require a warming atmosphere, so it’s preferable to use warm colors such as light yellow or various shades of pink or coral.
- Is the shade right with every type of lighting? Examine the selected shade in natural daylight and with artificial night lighting.
Design and decoration You can enhance the design of a room by using stencils, two shades of paint, wallpaper strips, curtains or fabric.
- Stencils – A stencil is a template that enables its user to copy a design precisely onto walls, furniture and fabric. You can use a stencil to add a design element to a surface; decorate an object with a continuous line of design; or create a border on walls or furniture.
- Two-color walls – To give a room an interesting look, you can combine two shades on one wall. Paint the bottom of the wall in a darker shade and the rest in a complementary color. You can mark the separation between the two shades with paint or a strip of wallpaper.
- Colorful curtains and fabric – You can use curtains and fabric to create pockets of color to match the design of the room. The advantage lies in the option to make changes and the ease with which the changes can be made.
Warming with color Changing a shade of color can give your home the warm feeling it needs in winter. For example, a combination of coffee colors will add warmth. Coffee shades are neutral and allow any other color to project on their surface.
Beige is like a warm, protective blanket. It is solid and blends in easily with different shades and styles.
You can also paint just one small part of the house, such as a niche or a small wall, to create a pleasant atmosphere, preferably in a dark, bold color. Spaces painted in warm colors are inviting and exude a feeling of comfort and serenity – just the right environment to enjoy a rich cup of hot chocolate.
Tambour and Nirlat contributed to this article.